Best Supporting Actor 1998

5. Geoffrey Rush - Shakespeare in Love
Rush's performance works perfectly for the film's purposes, but it is a minor part. The thing is that it's a comedic role and Rush didn't choose in the depth of the character, but he is only trying to be funny. But the truth is that it's just enough for the film and his drunk scene gives him some credit more...

4. Robert Duvall - A Civil Action
I liked Duvall more than I expected. It is a very subtle portrayal of the only comic character that appears in the film. His lawyer is very calm and makes no big deal out of his case. This calmness is not only believable in Duvall's hands, but also work perfectly and they actually are funny. But the truth is that you want be thinking of this performance very long time after watching the film, because it's so subtle and calm. But it's also a great job! 

3. James Coburn - Affliction
Coburn is really great in portraying a truly cruel man, but also is very natural while doing it. Though the father of the leading character is evil, he is human in Coburn's hands. He mirrored this abusiveness so realisticly, that it's hard to believe that he wasn't that abusive in real life. On the hand, if he's character is not having one of his attacks, he really doesn't have a lot to play. But he's very good at portraying the egoism and carelessness his character needed to have... 

2. Ed Harris - The Truman Show
Throughout the most of his performance, Harris is very stoic and doesn't show off his emotions. He acts, as if he didn't care about Truman, at all. But when he finally does it at the end of the film, suddenly we understand all of his previous behavior. And that's what proves how good he was in that film. To act irrationally and then change his manners and stay convincing during it, requires a truly skilled actor to give a truly wonderful performance. And that's how Harris's performance actually was...

1. Billy Bob Thornton - A Simple Plan
Thornton wins this strong year for his performance of Jacob, a simple man that kind of complicates the situation of his brother, the leading character of the film. And though he is simple, he isn't stupid. He knows exactly what he wants and he is determined to achieve it. And he's also very sad and maybe a bit tragic character. And at the end of the film we realize that we actually feel sorry for him. Is there need to giving more reasons, why this performance was so great? I don't think so...

Best Supporting Actor 1998: Robert Duvall - A Civil Action

Robert Duvall starts to be a strange surprise for me. I never liked him very much. I respected him as a fine and worshipped actor, but his acting has never blown me away. The only performance of his that I really liked was in Get Low. All of the other performances were just too subtle to be outstanding. But if you visit this blog regularly, you already know that I also liked his performance in The Godfather, which I fully appreciated after more viewings of that film. So what's happened?
I just can't see why is this happening to me, but lately I found his subtle acting somehow fascinating. Maybe I'm getting older, or something, but I liked him a lot in A Civil Action, although his performance in it is as subtle, as usually.
The same thing happened to me with the film itself. I used to find it very dull, but as I was watching it because of this review I thought it was very fine. Duvall plays a lawyer that is an opponent to the leading character played by John Travolta. His an old lawyer that has the most of his career behind himself. Therefore his character is very calm and doesn't make a big deal out of anything.
This is a case similar to Ed Harris's character in The Truman show. It was a subtle portrayal of a very calm and almost stoic character that is just very fascinating to watch. He really got into the character and is very very realistic and natural. There are some scenes that were supposed to be funny in A Civil Action and most of them come from Duvall's character. And he succeeded in this, as well.
All right, on the other hand he wasn't somehow showy, or magnicifent and as I said I wasn't blown away by it. But it's very very decent performance that seems to have no technical flaws. Only you won't remember it very often after watching it, because there nothing special or extraordinary about it. It's just so much great performance...
The chances of winning an Oscar: I think he was the second, or the third. I mean, he's won SAG Awards for it, he must have had some support among the voters...

Next Year: Best Supporting Actor 1998

The Nominees:

Billy Bob Thornton - A Simple Plan
Ed Harris - The Truman Show
Geoffrey Rush - Shakespeare in Love
James Coburn - Affliction
Robert Duvall - A Civil Action

What are your predictions for my ranking? What are your nominees? What is your ranking? Write in comments... 

Musical Project: Best Supporting Actor 1972

5. Eddie Albert - The Heartbreak Kid
Right now, when I'm writing this brief conclusion of Albert's performance I can hardly remember a thing from it. He was fine and his only purpose in The Heartbreak Kid was to hate the leading character and in this he was succeeded very well. But he didn't have many things to do here...

4. James Caan - The Godfather
He portrayed the anger in some of his scenes very well, but in other moments he was a bit unrealistic. And though his character was supposed to be likable, I didn't care about his fortune, at all. On the other hand it's obvious from his performance that the character of Sonny really cares about and loves his family. But he didn't amuse me anyhow this time...

3. Robert Duvall - The Godfather

I remember I didn't like him very much the first time, but this time I really liked him. He knows where his place is, but he doesn't forget to create a complex and likable character. The calmness of his character is perfect and chilling. It's very subtle and yet still very powerful performance given by Duvall...

2. Al Pacino - The Godfather

I've given Pacino a win for his portrayal of Michael Corleone in the second part and he is almost as powerful here, as he was in that. At the beginning of the film he is just an innocent boy and the only spotless member of the Corleone family, but he changes throughout the film. This change is so slow and non-violent, that it is very very natural. Very good performance...

1. Joel Grey - Cabaret

Though it's not the best character for the film, it's good enough for this musical. Grey gives a great amount of energy into his part and he's just adorable as the Master of Ceremonies. He sings perfectly, he dances extremely well and I can't imagine a single person that would not like his performance. As I said in my review, the could be the prototype of a good musical performance...

Musical Project: Best Supporting Actor 1972: Robert Duvall - The Godfather

As I said in my previous review, after re-watching The Godfather I was surprised how much I've changed my opinion about some performances in it.
I thought Robert Duvall was very dull and lackluster in The Godfather after I've seen it for the first time. He absolutely didn't capture me, I rarely noticed him in the film and I couldn't understand his nomination. Now I can't believe I really thought this. This time I not even understood his nomination, I can see the brilliantness of this performance.
Duvall never goes over the top and knows, where his place is. He gives a very supporting performance and he doesn't try to be the scene stealer, or something like that. He gives a perfect subtle supporting performance, that I don't usually adore (and I didn't adore him before). He realized he is some kind of a messenger to the Corleone family, but he's irreplaceable to them. And this fact is wonderfully portrayed in his performance. It's a very subtle and gentle work, but also very effective and powerful.
I need to give some examples to this. For instance the scene he goes to the film director into his studio. He realized that the best thing would be just say the lines and don't do anything more (the same 'more' I wanted from Caan) and this scene works perfectly. Also the next scene at the director's house. He eats and just listens to the director. This fact, that he does nothing, that he is so calm and just eats, makes it so powerful. This fact is very promising, you wonder why is he so calm. The director is telling him something he didn't want to hear. But it's because Duvall's character knows, he's gonna get what he wants, anyway. Duvall succeeded even in this.
And finally I must mention the best scene of him, but it contains spoiler. It's the scene, where he informs Vito Corleone, that Sonny died. He showed a great amount of emotions. He is a calm man, but he cares about his brothers. His performance in this single scene amazed me more than James Caan's whole performance.
The chances of winning an Oscar: I think, he was the second, at the worst the third. He didn't have his Oscar in 1973 and his performance here is really very very decent and solid...

Next Year: Musical Project: Best Supporting Actor 1972

The Nominees:
Al Pacino - The Godfather
Eddie Albert - The Heartbreak Kid
James Caan - The Godfather
Joel Grey - Cabaret
Robert Duvall - The Godfather

What do you think about this lineup? Who will I pick? What will be me ranking? What is your ranking? Write in comments...